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General Motors defect responsible for multiple accidents

Oklahoma drivers with vehicles manufactured by General Motors may want to find out if theirs is one that was recalled for a faulty ignition. A number of people who were convicted of charges such as vehicular homicide following accidents while driving these vehicles have now had those charges overturned with more cases expected. Reports say that General Motors knew about the ignition fault for years before issuing the recall, and a man in one case was charged even though General Motors had already released information regarding the recall.

The motorists were initially not believed when they described their vehicles doing things such as suddenly speeding up. A 25-year-old woman had her guilty plea for reckless driving and involuntary manslaughter erased in August 2015 following the February 2014 recall. One man was facing 20 years in prison following the death of his friend until a private investigator discovered the recall.

General Motors has set up a fund to compensate accident victims, and several of the individuals wrongly convicted have applied to it and received a settlement. The man who was charged after the recall turned down the offer from General Motors and filed a lawsuit, ultimately accepting a settlement in an undisclosed amount.

Accidents sometimes result from faulty manufacturing, and they can lead to serious injuries. Drivers or passengers who are injured in these types of accidents may wish to consult an attorney. There can be a number of complications such as insurance failing to pay out adequate compensation or disputes over who is responsible as in the General Motors cases. If the manufacturer is responsible, it may also offer an inadequate sum, and the injured victim may wish to file a lawsuit grounded upon negligence.